Something in the Air

Well, here we are. One week until Christmas. Wow! Where did the entire year go? We have been on an incredible journey and it is amazing to step back and see what our family has done this year.

We finished a school year

We took a leap of faith and didn’t re-enroll the kids so that we could return to homeschooling

We saw J2 graduate from high school

We saw J1 complete a full year of college

We spent an amazing week on the beach as a family

We moved J2 into Missouri S&T dorms

We moved J1 into a house near Truman State University

We started the school year with the “littles”

We watched J3 really step up and mature

We saw J3 be named to the All Star Team at the National Homeschool Soccer Championship

We saw J4 quickly adjust to homeschool and start to SMILE again

We watched J5 play more soccer than imaginable with the team placing #1 in the State and #1 in the region

We watched J6 begin to read on his own solidly

We saw J7 break his arm and miss half of a soccer season

We saw J8 become a little boy and no longer a baby (of course he is 4 so it really wasn’t all this year – but there was definitely a change over the year).

We anxiously awaited J1 and J2 to return home for the holidays to feel our home be complete

Of course, that is just the tip of the iceberg. This is the year we made the decision that MrTB4M would be a SAHD. That choice alone set many other puzzle pieces into motion. From budgeting, to planning, to theories of how it will look, to nightmares, to panic attacks, to thoughts of insanity – it was not an easy decision, nor do we expect a transition without a few bumps. That being said, we have adjusted the date many times – initially August 2019; then June 2019; then April 2019; then February 2019; and now more like June or July 2019 (thank you stock market).

The thing is, we haven’t changed our mind about it; we have just changed our anticipated timing. Oh, there are days we are convinced we should pull the plug “tomorrow” and there are days we think it should be another year or two……but, we know it will be happening in the next few months. That anticipation consumes us on many days and YET, there is so much more this time of year to focus on.

Just this week I had to have “the talk” with J8 – NO, not “THE” talk, but the talk – the one that goes something like this…..just because you put that on your Christmas list does NOT mean Santa deliversJ I know that is hard to hear, but in our house that is reality! Cute or not, baby or not. Just because you ask for a “real” car to drive around in doesn’t mean you will get it. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that there will be no “real” car showing up under the tree – not for the 19 year old and certainly not for the 4 year oldJ

Last week I took the kids to see Santa. J7 told me it wasn’t the real Santa. I silently thought – here we go, the “big” reveal – and in front of all the others. But, here is how it all played out – he knew it wasn’t the “real” Santa and was just a helper – not with any logic or theory. He knew this wasn’t the “real” Santa because this Santa SMELLED funny. You might ask what that means (I sure did)? AND I am confident you will be surprised to hear that a “funny” smelling Santa smells exactly like…………PROTEIN???? I never saw that one coming!

As Christmas nears and people are spending countless hours (and dollars) in search of the perfect gift – it is a perfect time to take a step back and look at all of the gifts (perfect or NOT) that we have been given over the last 11 months. “Gifts” that left fear, frustration, laughter, tears, gratitude, uncertainty, smiles, emptiness, contentment, anger, joy, promise, and most of all hope. There is definitely something in the air in our house – a contentment that just feels “right”.

May your Christmas be blessed and your New Year bring you all that you need!

“Out of the silence, came music; out of the darkness, came light; out of uncertainty, came promise; hope was born that night”.